Method of measuring the rate of mass flow and the temperature of fluids and apparatus therefor



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,600

C. F. BRUSH. JR., ET AL METHOD OF MEASURING THE RATE OF MASS FLOW AND THE TEMPERATURE OF FLUIDS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 24, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,600

0. F. BRUSH. JR.. El AL METHOD OF MEASURING THE RATE OF MASS FLOW AND THE TEMPERATURE OF FLUIDS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 24. 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES v 1,691,600 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. BRUSH, JR, OF CLEVELAND, O HIO, AND RICHARD D. FAY, Cl NAHANT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND ASBIGNIRNTB, TO THE BRUSH LABORATORIES COMPANY, 01 CLEVELAND, OHIO,

METHOD OF MEASURING THE RATE MASS FLOW AND THE TRIPERATURE OI FLUIDS AN D APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Application fled Iarch 24, 1920. Serial No. 368,455.

Our invention relates to improvements in the art of measuring the rate of flow and other hysical conditions of fluid,one object 0 the invention being to rovide an 5 eflicient and improved method an apparatus whereby the rate of flow of fluid and other conditions of fluid including the temperature thereof may be accuratel ascertained or determined by electrical o servations of variously heated media exposed to the action of the fluid, the physical conditions of "which are to be measured.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features as hereinafter'set forth and pointed out in the claims.

We have found that it is possible to measure in a simple manner not only the temperature of a fluid but more particularly the rate at which the fluid is passing through a pipe. Or with suitable auxiliary apparatus the device may be used to control the flow of fluid in the same or in another pipe.

The form of the device which we have in mind is a simple, inexpensive and an accurate instrument of such form that it can be readily included in a system of iping, and by its use a record may be made 0 the rate at which the fluid passes through the pipe'and, also, if desired, of the temperature of the fluid. It is particularly useful in indicating or recording the amount of any fluid, such, for example, as steam,'illuminating gas or other gas and water or other liquid or any other gas passingthrough a pipe and by the use of a number of these devices in a system of pipes records can be obtained of the total flow in each in a given interval with great accuracy and in a simple manner.

The principle which we haveutilized in carrying out our invention is that, if a wire forming a portion of an electrical circuit is acted upon by a stream of fluid, the electrical power required to maintain the temperature 45 of the wire a definite amount above that of the fluid in which it is immersed depends upon the rate at'which the fluid is flowing past the wire; the greater the velocity of flow past the wire, the greater the power required to 50 maintain this temperature difierence, but the power required to maintain this temperature differencewill also depend u on the density of the flowing fluid. In ot er words, the

product of the density and velocity of a fluid,

. i. e. the rate of mass flow through a pi e or the wei ht passing per unit of time, can measure by the power r uired to heat a wire located in the moving uid.

Our device is so arranged that the tem ra ture of the fluid can also be obtained, i desired, but it is not necessary to know the temperature in order to compute the rate at which. the fluid is passing as our instrument is arranged to record directly the rate at which the fluid is passing, that is, the pounds or standard cubic feet or minute or per hour. A suitable integrating mechanism may be lncorporated with the recording device, if desired, and thus the total amount of fluid whlch has passed in any interval of time may be found.

In carrying out our invention we utilize the followin elements or their equivalents:

(a) T e meter proper which is desi ed in such a we that it can be inserted in t e pipe line carrying the fluid; I

(b) A galvanometer connected with the meter and so arranged as to either indicate potential differences or to control the movements of a contact upon (a) A rheostat or resistance coil included in dthe current supply circuit to the meter; an

(d) A special instrument which is designed to indicate or record the rate of mass flow, this instrument being operated by the electric current supplied to the meter.

A convenient form of meter for determining the mass flow of a fluid is shown in. the drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pipe junction to which our meter in its preferred form has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the circuits being more or less diagrammatic as will be understood.

Iiig. 3 is a diagram showing the circuits, an r Figs. 4 to 9 show different arrangements of the wiring with relation to the pipe through which the fluid flows.

The arrangement we prefer to use is a modification of a Wheatstone bridge in which the four arms are lettered a, b, c and d, and each arm is composed of one or more spans of resistance wire of the same gauge and such material that its resistance rises with a' material or the equivalent thereof and of rise of temperature. .These arms are so arranged that two or more of them will be exposed to the flow to be measured, being he (1 in place therein by one or more fibre or other rin or gaskets e of insulating material I prezferah y clamped between the flanges of Fig. 2 shows a convenientarrangement-of the arms within the pipe, so that all will: be

substantiall equall exposed to the mass flow throug it, an Fig. 3 shows the preferred circuits outside the lettered g and is. indicated bridge. Current is supplied at the points 1 v and 3 by a storage battery or other source of current B which is connected wi aspecial instrument similar 'in construction" to an ammeter', which is lettered A, a voltmeter V and an adjustable resistance or rheostat- B through the switch S. The arms a and d areeach of a single wire, while in the construction of Fi 3 the arms 6 and c are of two wires in para lel, the arms a and d bein somewhat less than one half the length 0 each of the branch wires in the arms 6' and 0, depending upon the tem-' perature at which it may be desired to operate the exposed "conductors of the bridge.

As arranged in Fi 2 and 3, a current of Y electricity 'passin t rough the circuit will divide between t e arms a and b. When there is no potential difference between 2 and 4 the resistance of a and 6 must be equal as in a Wheatstone bridge with equal rat-i0 arms. Since arm a will carry substantially twice the current of each branch of the arm 6 and since all the a'ctivewires ofthis form of the device are of the same cross section, the temperature of wire a vwill be higher than that of the wires in branch 5 (other things being equal) and its resistance per unit length will be greater. But the wire a is less than half the length of each wire in the arm 6 so that when the resistance of arm a and arm I) are equal, as 'must be the case when there is no potential difl'erence between the points 2 and 4, the tem rature of the arms a and b will have a \de ite ratioto each other, the magnitude of this ratio depending upon the amount by which the length of the wire in arm a'is less than half the length of each wire in arm 6. Since arms a and d are electrically similar to arms a and. b, respectively, the same reasoning applies tothem.

ipe. The ipeis by dottedh iies .in this as in other views. G is a galvanometer connected to the points 2 and to form the The fl uid passing through the meter will take more or less heat from the wires in the meter dependin on the velocity and density of the fluid. I thevelocity of the fluid or its density be increased, more heat. will be taken from the wires so that their temperatures will be lowered, that of the arm a more than that of the arm 6 since the tem rature of the arm a was originally higher an that -ot thearm 6. Thus the temperature ratio between the arms a and b (or'cand (l) which was-shown to be necessary to produce-no po-. tential diflerence between the points 2 and 4 1 will no'lon er exist, and the galvanometer G will be 'de ected. The rheostat controlling, ,the current through the meter is then. read-n justed so as to'increase the current throu h the meter until again there is no potential difference between the points 2 and 4, at which momentthe ori 'nal temperature ratio willbe restored. We ave found that under these circumstances the current suppliedto the temperature of the fluid may be, and the electrical resistance of the meter between the points 1 and3 is a measure of the temperature 7 of the ambient fluid. In other words, by the use of this type of electrical circuit we are able :to measure independently the rate of mass flow and temperature of thefluid.

the meter will be a measure ofthe rate of." mass flow through the meter, no matter what The resistance which measures the tem-" perature' of the ambient fluid me. be determined bydividing the otentia drop between the points 1 and 3 y the current supplied to the meter. This may be done in any convenient way automatically or otherwise by instruments known to those skilled in the If the device is used for controllingthe flow, the current supplied to the meter (the resistance of the various wires of which are of course known) is given a value corresponding'to the desired flow, whether constant or variable, by any convenient means.

.The galvanometer may be utilized to control the operation of valve-operating means but this forms no part of our present invention.

The arrangement above described is an eflicient means for measuring independently the temperature and rate of mass flow of a fluid, but we do not meanto confine ourselves to theprecise arrangement ofbrid e wires shown in Figs. 2 and 3. We have t erefore shown in Figs. 4 to 9 other arrangements .which are practicable, although still other arrangements might be used. 7 In'Fig. 4 onlytwo branches a and 'c are exposed'to the fluid flow, the other two arms 7 In Fig. 6, a and b are'the active arms but instead of making one arm of two wires, both are made of sin le wires of the same size but one longer t an the other, and the resistances of the external arms so related that a balance will be produced by the heating action of the current through the bridge.

Still another arrangement is shown in Fig. '7 in which one of the active arms is made of .smaller wire than the other.

In Fig. 8, the two active arms are both made up of multiple wires of equal size, but one branch is composed of more wires than the other.

In Fig. 9, an arrangement is shown in which one of the active arms a is at approxi mate right angles to the flow and the other 6 is inclined at an angle to the flow.

In general, the arrangement of the bridge wires may be such that: V

(1) At least two branches'formin part of an electric circuit be exposed to the ow to be measured, and that (2) The electrical resistance of these two branches varies with the temperature in approximately the same manner, and that (3) The branches shall be so desi ed that an increase in the current in the mam circuit will increase the temperature of these two branches by diiferent amounts either (a) By having more current per unit area of cross section of conductor in one arm than in the other, or

(b) By havin one branch more directly exposed to the ow than the other as by having one branch more nearly at rig t angles to the flow) or (a) By having a combination of (a) and b) and that (4) There shall be means for determining when the resistance of and current in one of the two branches bear a definite predetermined relation to the resistance of and current in the other branch, and that (5) The difference in temperature produced by the unequal heating in the two branches shall operate to give the desired ratios of resistance and current.

The galvanometer or similar device which we use can be of any commercial form which will indicate the direction and approximate magnitude of the potential difference between its terminals. A deflection in one direction will thus indicate that the current through the meter must be reduced by increasing the resistance of the rheostat or a deflection in the opposite direction will show that the resistance must be reduced. We have found it convenient to arrange this device so that the gal'vanometer needle will cooperate with a contact on one side or the other of its swing and control a local circuit for governing automatically the movements of the rheostat, or this may be done mechanically, but these devices form no part of our present invention, and hence need no further explanation herein. I

The rheostat which we show can be of the usual construction and can be operated by hand to increase or decrease the resistance in the current supply circuit following the indications of the galvanometer or automati cally as above mentioned.

The instrument to indicate or record the mass flow may be any suitable device for measuring an electric current, such as an ammeter having a special scale designed to read mass flow directly and connected so as to measure the current su plied to the meter. Since we have found t at the current supplied to the meter when in balance depends on the product of the velocity, specific heat, and density of the fluid under consideration, it is evident that if'one of these variables be known, the, product of the other two is determined, and if two be known, the remaining one is determined. Therefore the mass flow, which is the product of the density and velocity, may be found if the specific heat be known, or if the velocity be known the product of the specific heat and density, (which in some cases is an indication of the composition of a. mixture), may be found. Since the temperature of the fluid may be determined independently of the velocity, specific heat, anddensity, the pressure of the fluid may be found from the density and temperature, if the velocity and specific heat be known. To determine any of these conditions it would be necessary, of course, to obtain special calibration data for the device which 'normally is calibrated to read mass flow of a specific fluid.

In using the word pipe We mean to include any form of conveyor through which the flow of a fluid may pass.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In the herein described method of measuring the rate of flow and other physical conditions of fluid, the steps consisting in exposing to the fluid, a conductor comprising a plurality of. members so connected as to form parts of a Wheatstone bridge at least two of which members differ relatively in electrical resistance, passing an electric current through said conductor whereby members of saidconductor are heated to relatively different temperatures, regulating the electric heating current until a definite difference of potential between two points of said conductor is brought about, and measuring the current necessary to maintain such difference of potential.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a Wheatstone bridge including at least two electrical conductors composed of such material that the electrical resistance thereof will rise with rise of temperature and differing relatively in electrical resistance, means whereby said conductors i may be exposed to fluid to measured,

means whereby said bridge may be includedthe combination of a Wheatstone bridge ineluding at least two electrical conductors composed of such material that the electrical resistance thereof will rise with rise of tem perature and differing relatlvely 1n electrical resistance, means for exposing said conductors to fluid to be measured, means for passing an electric current,through said bridge, means for controlling said current to effect 1 balancing of said bridge by unequal electrical uring the current necessary to establish and.

heating of said conductors, means for measmaintain the balance of the bridge, and means for measuring the voltage across a portion of the circuit including said bridge,- whereby the temperature of the fluid may be deduced from the measurements of the current and voltage.

4. In the herein described method of meas-,

uring the rate of flow and other physical con- ;ditions of fluid, the steps consisting in exposing to the action of fluid, a plurality of conductors initially diifering relatively in resistance and forming parts of a Wheatstone bridge, electrically heating the conductors of said bridge, and measuring the electric heat ing current necessary to establish and maintain a definite difierence of potential between the sides of the bridge. i

5. In the herein described method of measuring the rate of flow and other physical conditions of. fluid, the steps consisting in exposing to the fluid, a conductor comprising a plurality of members so connected as to form parts of a Wheatstone bridge at least two of which members differ relatively in 'electri cal resistance, passing an electric current through said conductor whereby members of said conductor are heated to relatively diflerent temperatures, regulating the electrical heating current'until a definite difference of potentlal between two points of-said conductor is brought about, and measuring the resistance of a part of the circuit including said conductor, whereby the temperature of the fluid may be ascertained.

6. In the herein described method of measuring the rateof flow and other physical conditions of fluid, the steps consisting in exposing to the fluid a conductor comprising a plurality of members .so connected as to form parts of a Wheatstone bridge, said members eing so proportioned relatively to each other that when 'an electric current. is passed through said conductor some of said members will be heated to a higher temperature than .rality of members so connecte other members, passing an electric current through said con uctor, regulating said current until a predetermined difference of potential exists between two points of said conductor, measuring said electric current,-

whereby the rate of mass flow may be deducted. a

7. In the herein described method of measuring the rate of flow and other physical conditions of fluid, the steps consistlng in exposing to the fluid a conductor comprising a plurality of members so connected as to form pgrts of a Wheatstone bridge, said members ing so proportioned relatively to each other that when an electric current is passed through said conductor some of said members will be heated to a higher. temperature than other members, passing an electric current rent until a predetermined difference of potential exists between two points of said conductor, measuring the electrical resistance of a part of the circuit including said conductor and from its value deducing the temperature of the fluid;

8. In the herein described method of measuring'the rate of flow and other physical conditions of fluid, the steps consistmg in exposing to the fluid, a conductor comprising a plurality of members so connected as to form 'parts of a Wheatstone bridge-at least two of which members difier' relatively in electrical resistance and are composed ofisuch material that the electrical resistancethereof will rise with rise of temperature, passing an electric current through said conductor whereby members of said conductor are heated to relatlvely different temperatures, regulating said heating current until a predetermined relation existsbetween the resistances of said members of said conductors as indicated by the balancing of said Wheatstone bridge, and

measuring the current required to maintain said bridge in abalanced condition.

9. In the herein described method of measuring the rate of flow and other physical conditions of fluid, the steps consistmgin exposing to the fluid, a conductor comprising a pluas to form parts of aWheats'tone bridge at least two of .which members differ relatively in electrical resistance and are composed of such material that the electrical resistance thereof will rise with rise of temperature, passing an electric current through said conductor whereby members of said conductor are heated to rela- 

